Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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804. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm that when TV signals turned digital, persons were told the existing infrastructure and antenna would improve the bouncing around of phone and broadband signals, if so, if this has materialised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37985/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The upgrade from analogue to digital TV allowed for the switch off of analogue TV networks, thereby making additional spectrum available for other services such as mobile services or broadband services. In Ireland, the analogue terrestrial TV network was switched off and replaced by SAORVIEW, the new national digital terrestrial TV network, on 24 October 2012. This was in line with the timetable set by the EU which had requested Member States to switch off analogue terrestrial TV by end 2012. The allocation of the additional spectrum that became available as a result of analogue switch off is a matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) as part of its statutory function in relation to the management of the radio spectrum under the Communications Regulation Act, 2002 as amended.

In November 2012, ComReg announced the results of its Multi-Band Spectrum Award (MBSA) process which resulted in a total licence yield of €855 million to be paid over the duration of the terms of the licences (from 2013 to 2020).

These spectrum bands are highly suitable for advanced mobile services due to their excellent propagation properties, which allow for wide area coverage and improved in-building reception.

It is a condition of a Liberalised Use Licence that a minimum 70% population coverage obligation is to be achieved by a licensee within 3 years of its licence commencement date. I am advised that ComReg considers that actual coverage levels are expected to exceed this obligation given the competitive nature of the market and the limited risk of roll-back of coverage from current higher levels.

While the four Liberalised Use Licences of the Mobile Network Operators commenced on 1 February 2013, the timing and extent of ‘4G’ (Long Term Evolution (LTE)) network rollout is, with the exception of the above coverage obligation, a matter for the operators themselves. I understand however that some operators have plans to commence services later this year.